Carbon paper container and actuating mechanism



Dec. 5, 1933. Q JOHNSTON 1,938,106

CARBON PAPER CONTAINER AND ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed May 17, 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

1933- c. L. JOHNSTON 6 CARBON PAPER CONTAINER AND ACTUATING MECHANISMFiled May 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TOR.

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Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES CARBON PAPER CONTAINER AND ACTUATINGMECHANISM Clarence L. Johnston, Burlingame, Calif. Application May 17,1933. Serial No. 671,514

5 Claims. (CL 282-49 This invention relates to a carbon paper containerand actuating mechanism for autographic registers.

There are several types of autographic registers in general use andpractically all machines of this character require stationery commonlyreferred to as manifold pads or packets, which consist of a series ofsuperposed continuous strips of paper folded in a zigzag manner. Eachstrip has a succession of forms printed thereon and each sheet isperforated transversely between the forms to permit tearing orseparation from the packet.

When a packet of this character is inserted in. an autographic register,the free ends of the superposed strips forming the packetare advanced bymanual, or other feeding means, over a writing table, or other suitablesurface, where the printed form on the uppermost strip may be filled inbywriting; duplicates being simultane ously obtained on the underlyingforms or strips by the interposed carbon sheets. As long as the carbonsare fairly new, clear legible duplicates, triplicates, etc., will beobtained but if a machine of this character is in continuous use thecarbon sheets will obviously not last very long and as such must bereplaced or renewed from time to time. The operation or" replacing orrenewing the carbons is in many instances a dirty job, as the fingersand hands usually become smeared with carbon and besides that requiresconsiderable time.

The object of the presentinvention is to generally improve and simplifythe construction and operation of carbon paper holding and actuatingdevices; to provide a carbon paper container and actuating mechanismwhich may be readily attached to machines of the character described; toprovide a carbon paper container and actuating mechanism which isquickly when it is desired to renew the carbon paper and which may beoperated without any tendency to soil the fingers or hands; to provide acarbon paper container and actuating mechanism which is adapted tocontain rolls of carbon paper of any desired lengthand from which thecarbon may be readily removed inlengths as required and thenfrictionally locked against removal when the carbon paper is being used;and further, to provide a carbon paper container and actuating mechanismwhich is adapted to be interposed between the strips of paper forming amanifold.

record or pad so thatthe carbon paper may be readily interleaved withthe record strips and extend in thesame longitudinal direction, therebyand easily operated avoiding tearing of either the record strips or thecarbons and, furthermore, reducing frictional resistance between thecarbon and the record sheets to a minimum.

The carbon paper or roll containerv and actuating mechanism is shown byway of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which' Fig. 1 is aperspective view of an autographic register.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the register shown in Fig. 1, butshowing the cover and table lifted to disclose the carbon containers andactuating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the register shownin Fig. .1. 0

Fig. 4 is'an enlarged detail .viewof the stop pin.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the carbon containingtubes rotated to frictionally lock the carbon paper againstremoval.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the carboncontainingtubes rotated to permit free removal'of the carbon paper.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view'of one of the carbon containingtubes showing the manner in whicha roll of carbon paper is placedtherein. I

The invention forming the subject matter of the present application,to-wit, a carbon paper holder and actuating mechanism, is applicable todifferent types of autographic registers, but is in this instance shownand described inconjunction with the form of autographic registerdisclosed in a co-pending application entitled Autographic register andstationery therefor, filed October 26, 1932, Serial' Number 639,613.

The register is best illustrated in the present instance in Figs. 1, 2and 3, and consists of arectangular-shaped casecomprising side sections22, end'sections 33, and a bottom or base section 4. The upper end ofthe case is open to permit insertion of a printed form packet generallyindicated at A, which will hereinafter be described, but the open endwill normally be closed by a plate 5. whichwill hereinafter be referredto'as a writing table and also by a cover plate 6. The writing table andcover plate are pivotally secured to one end of the case,- as at '7, andas such may be swung about the pivots to open the case, as shown in Fig.2, when apacket is to be inserted andthe. free ends of the stripsforming the packet are to be placedin position on thewriting table, etc.

The type of printed form packet employed is preferably thatshown in Fig.3. It consists of a series of superposed sheets or strips, such asindicated at C, D and E, the uppermost sheet being the original, thesecond sheet D a duplicate, and the third or lowermost sheet E atriplicate. Each sheet has identical or similar forms printed thereon,and each sheet is transversely perforated between the forms as indicatedat 31. The superposed sheets are folded in a zigzag manner to form apacket generally indicated at A, and this packet is placed on the bottomof the case and within the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The freeends of the several sheets or strips are passed over the table 5 andsheets of carbon are interleaved therewith for the purpose of obtainingduplicates, triplicates, etc., when the topmost or original sheet isfilled in, whether it is done by writing, or otherwise.

As previously stated, the carbon paper holders and actuating mechanismform the subject matter of the present application. The holders andactuating mechanism are best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. .Byvreferring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the .table 5 is provided witha pair of rearwardly extending vertically disposed side plates 8 and 8aand that these are punched or drilled to receive the ends of a pair oftubes indicated at 9 and .10. These tubes are slotted from end toend,-as indicated at 11, and a side plate, indicated at 8b, is alsoslotted, as indicated at 11a, for purposes hereinafter to be described.The end of each tube, indicated at 12, is open and the opposite end ofeach tube may or may not be open as desired. Each tube has a spur gear13 secured thereon and these gears intermesh with a spur-gear pinion 14,see Figs. 2 and 3, which is rotatable about a stud shaft 15 secured tothe side plate 8. Gear 15 is connected with a turn ing knob 16 by meansof a sleeve 17 and this sleeve carries a pin 18, the function of whichwill later be described.

tive tubes 9 and '10 in the manner shown in Fig. '7; that is, the freeend 20 of a roll of carbon is turned upwardly so as to pass through theslot 11 and also the slot indicated at 110., and when the roll 19 isfully inserted, the free end will project through the slot 11 at a pointbe tween the side plates 8 and 8a. The free projecting end is theninterleaved with the strips of the manifolding pad and this isaccomplished as follows:

By referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be assumed that a manifold pad,such as indicated at A, has been inserted in the case. When so insertedthe strip C is first passed over the inner curved end 5a of the tableand pulled forwardly over the same until the forward edge of the freestrip engages a stop member generally indicated at 24. The carboncontaining tubes are then rotated by means of the turn knob 16 until theslots 11 assume the position shown in Fig. 6; the free end of the carboncontained in the tube 9 is then pulled forwardly over the sheet C untilthe forward edge reaches within one-half of an inch of the stop 24. Thesecond strip in the manifolding book is then passed around the exteriorsurface of the tube 9 and over the carbon sheet which extends from thetube. The free end of the carbon sheet contained in the tube 10 is thenpulled forwardly the same distance as the first carbon so as to overliethe sheet D and the sheet E is then passed around the outer surface ofthe tube 10 and pulled forwardly over the table to engage the stops 24.The table is then lowered into horizontal position and the cover 6 isalso lowered and closed, thus holding the manifolding strips and theinterleaved carbon sheets in a flat position on the table. The operatorthen presses his fingers downwardly against the form strips at. a pointbeyond the ends of the carbon sheets, and at the same time rotates theknob 16, so that the tubes 9 and 10 will assume the position shown inFig. 5. During this rotation of the tubes 9 and 16, the carbon stripsare slightly retracted by a portion of each carbon sheet being woundabout the exterior surface of each cylinder, as indicated at 25 and 26.This is important as it frictionally looks or secures the carbon sheetsagainst removal from the tubes 9 and 10 when the autographic register isin normal operation; that is, when a set of form strips have been placedin position on the table surface and the uppermost sheet or original isfilled in by writing, duplicates and triplicates are at the same timeobtained due to the interposed carbon sheets. After the forms have beenfilled in, they are grasped by the forward edge and vmanually pulled ina forward direction until the next set of forms come into place. Thefilled in forms are then torn off and the next set of forms may then befilled in. During the advance of the strips to remove the filled informsand to bring a new set of forms into position there is a tendencyto also advance the carbon paper, but as it is partially wrapped aboutthe tubes 9 and 10 the frictional resistance thus produced secures thecarbon rolls against unwinding and any danger of the carbon sheetsadvancing when the form or record strips are advanced is thus avoided.The tubesQ and 1% will either assume the position shown in Fig. 5, orthe position shown in Fig. 6, these positions being controlled bystoppin 18, see Figs. 2 and 4, and a secondary stop pin 180.. When theknob 16 is rotated in the direction of arrow a, pin 18 will engage oneside of pin 18a and when the knob is rotated in the opposite directionpin 18 will engage the opposite side of pin 18a, it is in this mannerthat rotation .of the tubes 9 and 10 is limited, and that properpositioning of the slots 11 formed in the tubes is insured.

The operation of renewing the carbon surface is exceedingly simple. timenotices that the duplicates, triplicates, etc., are not as clear as theyshould be all he has to do is to rotate the knob 16 so that the tubes 9and 10 will assume the position shown in Fig. 6. He at the same timepulls on the superposed form strips placed on the table and as herotates the tubes and pulls on the form strips at the same time, thecarbon sheets will be advanced to a point where they may be grasped bythe fingers of the operator, then by continuing the pull the formstripsand the carbonsheets are simultaneously advanced and a completenew section of carbon may be obtained, and this without soiling thehands or fingers as the carbon paper is interposed between the formstrips and as such will not come in contact with the operators fingers.distance, for instance if the lines on the form strips are fairly widelyseparated, it maybe only necessary to advance the carbon sheets aquarter of an inch,,to present a new or fresh carbon surface. When a newsurface has been advanced the projecting carbon strips are torn off andthrown away, and the tubes -9 and 10 are-rotated If the operator at anyThe carbon paper may be advanced any.

in a reverse direction so as to retract a portion of the carbon paperand to insure a frictional look as shown in Fig. 5.

In most autographic registers the carbon sheets are arrangedtransversely of the form strips. This arrangement causes considerablefriction and also danger of tearing not only the carbon sheets but alsothe form strips. In the present instance the carbon paper is positionedin the same longitudinal direction as the form strips and floats betweenthe same, and when a pull is exerted to bring a new set of forms intowriting position little, if any, friction is encountered and as the pullis in the same longitudinal direction danger of tearing either thecarbon or the form strips is obviated. By placing the carbon in rollform within the tubes 9 and 10 a large supply is always available andthe operation of advancing the carbons to supply a fresh surface is madevery simple and quick to accomplish.

-While certain features of the present invention are more or lessspecifically described, I wish it understood that various changes may beresorted to within the scope of the appended claims. Similarly, that thematerials and finish of the several parts employed maybe such as themanufacturer may decide, or varying conditions or uses may demand.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent isl. lhe combination with a writing table, of anautographic register and means for directing the supe mposed recordstrips of a manifold packet .e same, of a tube supported at one end ofbio disposed crosswise of the same, said adapted to receive and supporta roll or car- 'oa er and tube having a slot formed through which thefree end of the carbon iects so as to be interleaved and extendlongitudinally between record strips placed on the table, and manuallyactuated means for rotating the tube to bri g the slotted side or" thetube into,

alignment with the record strips and to permit free removal of thecarbon paper from the tube, said manual means also adapted to rotate thetube to wind a portion. of the carbon paper about the exterior of t etube so as to frictionally secure the carbon paper against removal fromthe tube.

2. The com ination with a writing table, of an 58 autographic ister andmeans for directing the superimposed record strips of a manifolding packct over the same, of a plurality of tubes supported by the table at oneend thereof, said tubes :mit individual strips of the manifold.

pers after they have been pulled out of the tubes and interleaved withthe record strips.

3. The combination with a writing table, of an autographic register andmeans for directing the superimposed record strips of a'manifoldingpacket over the same, of a plurality of tubes supported by the table atone end thereof, said tubes extending crosswise of the table, and beingspaced apart to permit individual strips of a manifold packet-to bepassed between the same, each tube adapted to receive and support a rollof carbon paper and each tube having a slot formed therein through whichthe free ends of the carbon paper project so as to be interleaved andextend longitudinally between record strips placed on the table, a gearsecured on each tube, a second gear intermeshing with the gears on thetubes, and meansfor rotating the second gear together with theintermeshing gears and the tubes to which they are secured, said meansrotating the tubes to bring the slotted sides thereof into alignmentwith the record strips, and said means also adapted to rotate the tubesso as to wind a portion of the carbon paper about the exterior of thetubes so as to frictionally secure the carbon paper against removal fromthe respective tubes.

4. The combination with a writing table, of an autographic register andmeans for directing the superimposed record strips of a manifoldingpacket over the same, of a tube supported at one end of the table anddisposed crosswise of the same, said tube adapted to receive and supporta roll of carbon paper and said tube having a slot formed thereinthrough which the free end of the carbon paper projects so as to beinterleaved and extend longitudinally between record strips placed on'the table, manually actuated so as to irictionally secure the carbonpaper.

against removal from the tube, and a stop member for limiting rotationof the tube in either direction.

5. The combination with a writing table of an autographic register andmeans directing the superimposed record strips of a manifolding packetover the same, of a tube supported at one end of the table and disposedcrosswise of the same, said tube adapted to receive and support a rollof carbon paper and said tube having a slot formed therein through whichthe free end of the carbon paper projects so as to be interleaved andextend longitudinally between record strips placed on the table, meansfor partially retracting the carbon paper after it has been pulled outof the tube and placed between the record strips.

CLARENCE L. JOHNSTON.

